What was life like in the United States during the 1920s? Experience this time in history with a segment from A Biography of America from Learner.org. By completing a free registration, you will have access to a video describing the years from 1913 to 1929. As you browse the site, you are invited to decide if the twenties were really a roar or a yawn! See what the economy was like then, understand the effects of prohibition, and witness the impact of pop culture. There is a list of key events and a list of additional web sites.
The 1920s was a decade of change. This article examines the causes of the changes that were experienced and the culture of the decade. It reveals many of the advancements in transportation, communication, and manufacturing and also the trend in consumer spending. You will discover how automobiles became available to even middle-class buyers, the impact of commercial radio station broadcasts, and the popularity of movies as entertainment. Advances in household machinery are discussed as well.
The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote in 1920, while a teacher went on trial for teaching evolution in 1925. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was created in Arlington Cemetery, and the first trans-Atlantic flight was completed by Charles Lindbergh. Regular radio broadcasts, Reader's Digest, and movies with sound were introduced. Readers were introduced to The Great Gatsby and Winnie-the-Pooh. For the first time in history, the American population exceeded 100,000,000 people.
Rural southern African-Americans from the Mississippi Delta headed to Chicago's South Side to find manufacturing jobs during World War I. An entertainment district rose up with the best musicians from New Orleans, including Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton. Nightclubs, cabarets, and vaudeville houses featured jazz musicians and drew integrated audiences. African-American performers appreciated the greater freedom from segregation. Vaudeville mixed jazz, blues, comedy, dance, and acrobats. Boogie woogie music was more often played at house parties than in clubs.
Jazz music was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and has spread across the world. Read about the hundred year history of jazz at the Spotlight on Music web site. The section on early history covers the time frame of the 1920s and before. See how the culture of New Orleans contributed to the different styles of jazz and find out which instruments were used by early jazz groups. Travel the decades to learn about swing, bebop, cool jazz, free jazz and jazz fusion.
Jazz music was born in America and evolved out of the blues, an African-American genre that evolved from work songs and field hollers. The blues were more about adversity, but jazz was more about improvisation. Jazz starts with a simple, single melody and elaborates with instrumental rhythms and improvisations. Learn about the Dixieland style and how Louis Armstrong introduced something new. The swing era followed the jazz age as big bands lifted the spirits of people during the Great Depression. Instruments in jazz included the trumpet, coronet, and piano.
Enter the jazz timeline to do your own traveling through the history of this great American form of music. This interactive timeline begins with the birth of jazz and follows its development century by century. The timeline is divided by decades and highlights the events that helped shape jazz. Learn about the different elements of jazz and listen to each one. Discover which characteristics defined the jazz age and meet some famous jazz musicians. You can also learn about the instruments they played.
As the title suggests the history of jazz music during the latter part of the twentieth century is described in this second part of a two-part educational program series from “This is America,” on the Voice of American (VOA) radio network. Musical selections by contemporary artists demonstrate the unstructured elements found in be-bop, cool jazz, orchestral jazz, “Free Jazz,” and jazz fusion. The full text of the program written by Jerilyn is available along with the link to the original broadcast, which is 15 minutes in length.
Meet ten jazz legends from the Jazz Age. Cannonball and Nat Adderley played saxophone and cornet in a quintet. They developed music known as soul jazz. Betty Carter was a jazz vocalist who sang with Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, and Ray Charles. Bessie Smith is better known for blues, but also worked with jazz musicians. Nat King Cole was a jazz piano and pop vocalist. Jazz improvisation helped Hoagy Carmichael write hit songs. The Lion Smith incorporated ragtime into his piano playing and took part in musical combat at rent parties in Harlem.
The history of jazz as an original form of American music is outlined in this program segment from the “This is America” series on the Voice of America (VOA) radio network. Along with the fifteen-minute audio link to this first part of a two-part history of jazz in America through the end of World War II, the full text of the program written by Jerilyn Watson is available. The characteristics of jazz and different playing styles of jazz musicians are demonstrated by links to musical selections.
Chicago's industrial growth in the early 20th century gave young workers money to spend on entertainment. Cabarets, dance halls, and movie houses were among the favorite forms of entertainment. While songwriters converged on New York, jazz performers played in Chicago's nightclubs. They experimented with improvisation and ensembles. Many came from New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta to make records and work in Chicago's clubs. Big band swing emerged in the 1930s, while urban blues evolved in the 1940s.
The years of 1914 - 1928 in American history are considered the time of the Great War and the Jazz Age. The Great War is also referred to as WWI. Although initially America didn't want to get involved in this war, America supported their Allies. In 1917 the United States entered the War. During this time, jazz music emerged back in the States as many white Americans became interested in the culture of the African Americans.
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was a Jazz Age novelist who also wrote short stories. Known as one of the greatest American writers of his time, Fitzgerald completed four novels and left one unfinished. You have the opportunity to read one novel and one collection of short stories written by Fitzgerald. Brief descriptions of Flappers and Philosophers and Tales of the Jazz Age lead you to the text and also the audio clips that allow you to listen to the stories as well.
Perhaps better known as the Roaring Twenties, the 1920s were also known as the Jazz Age. This name came from novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby. It was a time of prosperity, culture, social change, and fun. The excitement all came crashing down in 1929. As a writer, Fitzgerald looked back at the 1920s with nostalgia. At the dawn of the decade, the threat of war had been vanquished and the stock market was booming. Consumer spending and investment soared, as traditional values were replaced by speakeasies. The age of excess became a great setting for novels.
F. Scott Fitzgerald's literary work, The Great Gatsby, was first published in 1925. The American Writers web site from C-Span introduces Fitzgerald's work and gives a summary of the novel. Find out why it is considered to be one of the greatest English-language novels of the 20th century. You can see which other authors shared the Progressive Era with Fitzgerald and read about the life of the author. You will find a list of Fitzgerald's other works and learn why he died at a young age.
F. Scott Fitzgerald was the author of the American masterpiece, The Great Gatsby, and one of the twentieth century's leading authors. This biography tells you all about F. Scott Fitzgerald and his successful writing career. F. Scott Fitzgerald's early life is described and included many moves and a love for literature and theater. It tells you about Fitzgerald's educational background, his time in the military, and his published works. A discussion on The Great Gatsby is included in the biography along with an analysis of his life.
Author F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald are profiled at this site that serves as a companion piece to the PBS program called The Sensible Thing which is a part of the American Storytellers series. Named after the author of the Star-Spangled Banner, Fitzgerald's life was all about the highs of young love, wealth, and success and the lows of excess and failure. You will find out all about how Ftizgerald and his wife, Zelda, grew up, fell in love, and struggled to be happy and successful amid setbacks and personal tragedies.
This biography describes the life and literary accomplishments of Zora Neale Hurston, a collector of folklore and important writer during the Harlem Renaissance period in early twentieth century America. The article covers basic facts about the important events that shaped her life growing up in a small town in Florida that was founded by African Americans and in the northeastern United States where she moved to further her education. There is also information on her careers as a writer of fiction and plays, and as an anthropologist who studied and collected legends from African American and Caribbean folk culture.
Zora Neale Hurston was a writer who passed away before her work was recognized for her literary contributions. Her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, was shunned when it was first released in the 1930s, but became quite popular once rereleased in the 1990s. This biography tells you about Hurston's life and writing career that included publications, awards, and literary criticisms. You will learn how her novels were accepted by the public and critics and learn about the final years of her life.
A brief biography of Zora Neale Hurston tells you what the town of Eatonville was like when she lived there and how that compared to present-day Eatonville. It describes her educational background that includes graduate work at Columbia University. Information on her work as a writer reveals her important role in a major literary and cultural movement that included many other famous names. You will also discover her influential qualities and the controversy that surrounded Their Eyes Were Watching God. Information on Hurston's death can be found as well.
The American Memory collection of digital documents on the works of the African American writer and folklore scholar Zora Neale Hurston features this chronology of events from her personal and professional life. The timeline, which is based information from primary documents in the collection of the United State Library of Congress, begins with Hurston's birth in 1891 and ends with her death in 1960. The chronology also features photographs and page links to additional information, including full-text images of some of her plays.
Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God is a novel that is included in a teacher's resource on teaching African-American literature. The information provided on this particular page about Zora Neale Hurston and the novel has been written specifically for students to help them become familiar with the author's background and become aware of important aspects of the novel. There are also helpful literary terms, examples of symbolism found in the novel, and examinations of themes such as feminism and journey.
What an incredible site about an equally incredible woman! Zora Neale Hurston is perhaps the most well-known female African American author of the first half of the twentieth century. Discover the influence her childhood experiences had upon her writing by exploring her biography. Listen to the moving audio excerpts of her more famous works, located at the end of the home page. Don't forget to delve into the many links located at the top of the page to learn even more about the contributions of this incredibly gifted woman.
In the years after World War I, many African Americans moved from the southern United States to the north. Here they found chances to prosper economically and embrace their heritage, expressing their thoughts and sharing their experiences through poetry. Countee Cullen, Claude McKay and Sterling Brown were a few of the important poets of this time period, known as the Harlem Renaissance. An important impact of the Harlem Renaissance is that it paved the way for African American writers that emerged in the decades to follow.
In a New York supermarket or farmers market, you can find a colorful taste of the tropics. Bananas, coconuts, and mangos can take an immigrant back to the tropics. In another part of the world, fruit trees are laden with these colorful treasures under a blue sky. This animated poem tells a story of memory, happiness, and sadness. Wandering far across a meadow, the poet comes upon thousands of golden daffodils. They danced in the breeze beneath the trees, seeming as endless as the stars in the sky. The story of a bird is told in poetry and sign language.
This introduction to the social and cultural arts movement that took place in New York City's Harlem neighborhood in the early twentieth century provides an overview of the literature of the period, with a time line of key events, and section links to information on major artists and entertainers. The Harlem Renaissance--An Introduction Web site published by California State University professor Paul Reuben, explains why this creative arts movement began in Harlem and its importance in American literary history.
The migration of African Americans from the South to the North was the driving force behind the Harlem Renaissance. Learn about how African American writers and poets expressed their experiences and culture through the works written during this time after World War I through the 1930’s. Also check out the related resources at the bottom of the page, where you can download excerpts from influential writings from the Harlem Renaissance as well as an image and a video.
Playwright Eugene O'Neill won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize for his literary works. Explore the life and the works of this American playwright at the companion site from the PBS documentary. The important people and events in O'Neill's life are described. Follow the timeline for some O'Neill family history and career highlights. Special features include an article about one of O'Neill's controversial plays and video clips of Broadway actors discussing O'Neill. A gallery shares photos from performances.
For all things O'Neil, this is the site to visit. One of the unusual links available to the viewer is a study companion, which includes curricula to augment and build lesson plans for the study of O'Neil's plays. Another link leads to an audio archive. There is also a production archive, which contains artifacts from theatrical, film, television and radio productions of O'Neil's plays. The twenty-five links from this well tended homepage lead to unique and fascinating information on Eugene O'Neil.For all things O'Neil, this is the site to visit. One of the unusual links available to the viewer is a study companion, which includes curricula to augment and build lesson plans for the study of O'Neil's plays. Another link leads to an audio archive. There is also a production archive, which contains artifacts from theatrical, film, television and radio productions of O'Neil's plays. The twenty-five links from this well tended homepage lead to unique and fascinating information on Eugene O'Neil.
This site presents a small photo of Eugene O'Neil, along with his birth and death dates. Links lead to the presentation speech for the Nobel Prize in Literature for 1936, an autobiography of O'Neil, the banquet speech by O'Neil, and other resources. Unable to attend the banquet, O'Neil sent a speech that was read at the event. This site includes a search box that will enable the viewer to search for a laureate by name.
A poet, an observer, and an artist are all descriptions of Langston Hughes. Explore the interactive timeline to learn about the life of Langston Hughes. Each pane of the timeline shares a memory about Hughes. Clicking on the timeline images causes a larger image with information to appear. Items shared on the timeline include book covers, first drafts of poems, and even audio of one of his newspaper columns. Take a look at old photos of Hughes and hear a story for children written by Hughes.
Poet Langston Hughes portrayed black life from the 1920s through the 1960s in his poetry and other writings. Instead of separating his personal life and experiences from his work like some other African American poets who were popular at the same time that Hughes was, he tried to reflect black culture including suffering, love of music, laughter, and language. Hughes was a very important part of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s. In addition to more information about his life, you will find a bibliography and some samples of his poems.
From the University of Kansas, this exhibit tells about the life and poetry of Langston Hughes. The exhibit describes the influences on Hughes' poetry and the subjects of his poems. Digital images show a magazine which published his early poems, his first published book of poetry and the book of poetry he wrote for children. Biographical information includes the many sides of his writing, including songs and plays. There are images of his works that have been translated into other languages.
Not only was Langston Hughes' background diverse, but so were his talents and interests. Learn about the life and career of Langston Hughes beginning with his early life growing up with his grandmother in Kansas. A key figure of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, Hughes continued to lecture and publish even after the movement ended. You will find the various types of publications he wrote and what distinguished his work from others. The characteristics of Hughes' art are also described along with some of the responses he received from critics.
The life experiences of urban African Americans in the 1920s come to life in the work of poet Langston Hughes. Even though he was well-educated and grew up in an affluent family, Hughes was more concerned with the plight of the simple man. This profile explains how Hughes fit into the Harlem Renaissance and lists many of his more famous works.
Based on the PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) series, Do You Speak American? this site explores the literary contributions of African American writers in the Harlem section of New York City during a cultural movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. The information showcases the talents of Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, two writers who studied African American folklore and used elements of folk culture as themes in their prose. Examples of their literary works are presented in both text and media formats that can be heard or viewed with a media player.
One of the most creative periods in U.S. history happened during the 1920s and is known as the Harlem Renaissance, which means a time of rebirth or revival. During World War I, six million blacks from the south migrated to northern cities like New York, Chicago and Detroit. In NYC, most of them settled in upper Manhattan in a neighborhood called Harlem, and in these new arrivals were many young writers, artists, musicians and creative thinkers. Writers Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, artist Aaron Douglas, and Jazz players Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong came out of that period.
The Library of Congress has wealth of resources about the Harlem Renaissance. From this page you can access links to a digital collection of African American sheet music. There is also a photograph collection where you can search for photos of influential artists from the Harlem Renaissance, as well as a collection of photographs of musicians from the Golden Age of Jazz. Also check out the links to biographies of artists from the Harlem Renaissance such as Billie Holiday and Langston Hughes, and other great resources.
The Harlem Renaissance began in New York City after World War I and lasted until the Great Depression. It was a time when many African American writers and artists emerged. Through their works, they confronted many of society’s views on African Americans and race while documenting their own experiences as African Americans in this country. The writings during this period impacted not only the United States, but writers all over the world. Read about six important writers of the Harlem Renaissance including biographical information and titles of some of their works.
In the years after World War I, many African Americans moved from the southern United States to the north. Here they found chances to prosper economically and embrace their heritage, expressing their thoughts and sharing their experiences through poetry. Countee Cullen, Claude McKay and Sterling Brown were a few of the important poets of this time period, known as the Harlem Renaissance. An important impact of the Harlem Renaissance is that it paved the way for African American writers that emerged in the decades to follow.
The Harlem Renaissance began in New York City after World War I and lasted until the Great Depression. It was a time when many African American writers and artists emerged. Through their works, they confronted many of society’s views on African Americans and race while documenting their own experiences as African Americans in this country. The writings during this period impacted not only the United States, but writers all over the world. Read about six important writers of the Harlem Renaissance including biographical information and titles of some of their works.
In early twentieth century New York the area known as Harlem was the center of a social and cultural arts movement that focused on the talents of African-Americans. The World War I and Postwar Society: The Harlem Renaissance and the Flowering of Creativity, Web page contains a brief overview with links to manuscripts, documents, photographs, prints, and music scores of major artists from the period. The online collection of materials is from the Library of Congress exhibition, The African American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship.
In 1930 Harry Sinclair Lewis became the first American to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. This brief biography describes Lewis' writing characteristics that earned him this honor and the most common topics written about in his works. You will also have the opportunity to read and listen to audio files of two novels written by Lewis. Brief descriptions accompany the titles of Main Street and Babbitt that serve as links to the books' interactive tables of contents.
The writings of Sinclair Lewis attacked weaknesses of American society and earned Lewis a Nobel Prize in 1930. As a young man, he briefly joined writer Upton Sinclair at a socialist community. Then, he worked as a newspaperman and began writing his own novels. Lewis published a number of novels before finally finding success with Main Street, a satirical chronicle of life in an American small town. Babbitt was the story of a small town businessman trying to break free of societal expectations. Explore the topics of other Lewis novels as well as information about the author's life.
This site neatly summarizes author Sinclair Lewis: American novelist, playwright, and social critic who gained popularity with satirical novels. Of course, Lewis was not only a popular writer but also an acclaimed one: In 1930, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1930, becoming the first American so honored. Lewis was born in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, in February 1885. He graduated from Yale University in 1908 and traveled, working as a freelance journalist. His first successful novel, Main Street, was published in 1920; Babbitt (1922), Arrowsmith (1925), and Elmer Gantry (1927) followed. This site includes recommendations for further study.
The first American writer to win the Nobel Prize, Sinclair Lewis travelled far and wide to explore other aspects of American society apart from his Midwestern roots. He tackled issues of women and race, and how society often made them feel powerless. He was also nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Lewis analyzed American small town life in the 1920s and predicted some of the crucial social problems of the later 20th century. Explore a timeline of his life and a list of his works.
One of the greatest satirists of the early 20th century, Sinclair Lewis was an American novelist. He made fun of the values and lifestyles of middle class America in his day, but also showed sympathy and affection for the characters. Main Street portrayed life in a Midwestern small town, while Babbitt is the story of a businessman whose individuality has been lost in conformity. From the medical profession to hypocrisy in religion, few escaped his critical look.
Ernest Hemingway has fascinated many people through the years. This comprehensive web site was created to help people learn about and understand one of the greatest American writers and his works. One of the useful features of this web site is the Hemingway Quote Finder. If you'd like to know the source of a Hemingway quote, this human powered quote finder will search for the information, then e-mail you with the source and page number. Links to audio interviews with Hemingway's son, Jack, and fourth wife, Mary, are also contained here, and links to many other web sites.
Visit this web site to obtain a wonderful overview of the personal and professional life of Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1954, along with a Pulitzer and many other awards later in life. This site offers numerous photographs of Hemingway and links to many of his most famous works such as The Sun Also Rises, and The Old Man and the Sea.
Ernest Hemingway is an American author that has long been shrouded in mystery. On this web site you can read about the great author and his life. This web site is written in different sections so you can jump back and forth easily. You can start with his childhood, the time he spent in Paris, or his later years. There are also a few great pictures of Hemingway here that you can take a look through.
American Authors presents this web site about Ernest Hemingway. At this web site you will learn that Hemingway was a celebrity in his time. He was seldom out of the public eye. However, he paid a price for his fame. But fame took its toll. Hemingway wrote for money and drank heavily. His lean prose became turgid. The long narrative had never been Ernest Hemingway's forte. Once, he said his novels had always started as short stories. A novel, To Have and Have Not, published in 1937, simply meandered, lacking structure or plot. Read more here.
Ernest Hemmingway is known for proving that meaning and emotion can be relayed in writing without the use of excessive description. The twists and turns of the famous American writer's life are detailed in this biography. You will learn about Hemingway's life growing up in Illinois, his parents' influences, and his early career choices. Hemingway's worldly adventures are described in the biography along with his best known pieces of writing. Information on his writing style and his Nobel Prize in Literature is also included along with the circumstances surrounding his death.
The Jazz Age is the term used to describe the United States during the 1920s. A common conception about this decade is provided in the beginning of this online chapter and some common misconceptions are explained. You will discover that rather than a decade of prosperity, flappers, bootleggers, and jazz, the 1920s were actually a continual struggle between old America and new America. Groups were fighting over the use of alcohol, religion, and also gender, racial, and morality issues. The social changes that took place during this decade are presented as well.
Prohibition lasted 13 years before the 18th amendment was repealed. People stocked up on liquor when they knew it was coming. Some chose to make their own, even though it usually tasted terrible. Rum runners brought liquor from Canada into Detroit. Consumption of alcohol dropped by more than half, but speakeasies replaced saloons for the upper and middle classes. Flappers were women who smoked, drank, and wore short skirts in public. Find out how Prohibition contributed to organized crime.
Jazz was a controversial form of music and entertainment that separated literary theatre from musical comedy in the 1920s. In the early 20th century, the spread of electricity and mass production made consumer goods more available. Production and wages rose, and the additional disposable income was spent on more consumer goods. Learn about the rise of the automobile, the emergence of Hollywood and radio, the popularity of records, and the Harlem Renaissance. Investigate changing views of women. Analyze Prohibition, the Immigration Act, and the Scopes Trial.
The 1920s was a time of fantastic discoveries like penicillin and insulin. Goddard invented the rocket. Refrigerators, automatic dishwashers, radios, televisions, and air conditioners transformed homes. It was the dawn of the consumer society. Chain stores allowed people across the country to buy the same things. People began listening to the same music and watching the same movies. The changes brought a lot of conflict between the generations. Women could finally vote and work in white-collar jobs. Cars became more affordable, and credit became part of life.
From the Constitution Center in Philadelphia, this website is the companion to the American Spirits exhibit at the Center. This website features information on the prohibition and video clips of exhibits and performances.
It has been eight decades since Prohibition made the manufacture, transport, and sale of alcoholic beverages illegal in the U.S. The 18th Amendment was enacted in response to the societal consequences of the average American drinking about seven gallons of intoxicating liquors. The demand for alcohol continued in spite of Prohibition, and organized crime benefited from the profits of illegal liquor. The 21st Amendment ended Prohibition after a little more than a decade. Early Americans made beer from wild hops, mead from honey, and hard cider from apples. Learn about the distilling process, speakeasies, bootleggers, and unintended consequence of Prohibition.
Put Prohibition under the microscope, using this site from the town of Patterson, New York. Get up to speed with an introduction to Prohibition. Find out how World War I benefited the Temperance movement, how proponents believed Prohibition would benefit the country, and whether these predictions were correct or not. Pinpoint when the Eighteenth Amendment was ratified, and when it was repealed. Then scroll down for an in-depth look at how Prohibition specifically impacted Patterson, New York. View ads, stories, and articles from the time, to see how the Eighteenth Amendment affected this town.
The Twenty-First Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed on December 5, 1933, which is now recognized as Prohibition Repeal Day. Visit the Bluegrass Institute web site to learn about why the Noble Experiment of Prohibition failed, resulting in the Twenty-First Amendment. This site includes an interview with filmmaker Ken Burns, who produced a documentary on Prohibition. Get the benefit of Burns's extensive research to learn about why the Twenty-First Amendment was passed and Prohibition was repealed.
The National Prohibition Act, otherwise known as the Volstead Act, was passed by Congress on October 28, 1919 and established laws that enabled prohibition to be enforced. You will learn about the passing of the Volstead Act including the people involved, the reason for the Volstead Act, details of the Volstead Act, and the process of getting it passed. Background information on the temperance movement in America is provided along with a discussion on the eventual repeal of prohibition.
When the Eighteenth Amendment passed in 1920, many Americans thought all of society's problems would be solved. Unfortunately, poverty, violence and crime did not disappear when National Prohibition was enacted. Read this informative article to find out why the Eighteenth Amendment failed and how a movement developed to repeal it. The repeal took place with the ratification of the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933. Discover which organizations supported the repeal of Prohibition and which states voted for ratification in chronological order. Find out how the American people reacted to the repeal.
You can explore these collections of primary sources and historical information and learn about the temperance and prohibition movement in the United States. These collections include photos, essays, articles, documents, political cartoons, personal accounts, and other writings. The collections include information on the brewing industry and prohibition, the womenâs crusade of 1873 to 1874, the Anti-Saloon League, and old time saloons. You will learn about this time period from the perspectives of those who supported prohibition and those who did not.
At midnight, January 16, 1920, the United States went dry; begins this Digital History entry. ...breweries, distilleries, and saloons were forced to close their doors. So began the Prohibition era, during which the National Prohibition Enforcement Act (also known as the Volstead Act) forbade the manufacture and sale of beverages with an alcoholic content greater than 0.5 percent. Those who had endorsed the law, including the Anti-Saloon League and the Women's Christian Temperance Union, hoped liquor laws would end the social problems associated with alcoholic intoxication. The entry concludes with observations about the ongoing debate about the effects of Prohibition.
Prohibition was a big issue during the Progressive era. Many businesses that sold alcoholic beverages, as well as the liquid distillers were connected with corrupt politicians. Also, the use of alcohol was associated with poverty, alcoholism, and mental illness. The Temperance Movement's goal was to stop alcohol's negative influence on society. The short article on this page is about prohibition during the Progressive era in the early 1900's. There are a few additional articles about prohibition listed here which you can also read.
Check out the Minnesota History Center for a quick introduction to Prohibition. Find out what the Eighteenth Amendment prohibited, when Congress approved it, and how long Prohibition lasted. Note the Eighteenth Amendment does not prohibit alcohol consumption, so discover what additional legislation was passed to enforce Prohibition. Identify what groups championed this cause, and trace World War I’s impact on its popularity. Finally, witness the unintended consequences of Prohibition, and see how this led to the Eighteenth Amendment’s repeal.
Get to know the man behind Prohibition, Wayne Wheeler, using this page from Case Western Reserve University. Exhume Wheeler’s prolific behind-the-scenes political resume, learn when he joined the Anti-Saloon League, and identify to which goal he dedicated his life. Examine how Wheeler succeeded politically, and what role he played in drafting the Volstead Act, written to enforce the Eighteenth Amendment. Also follow links at the top of the page for a picture of Wheeler, and more information about his role in crafting Prohibition.
Alice Paul was known as a feminist, suffragist and a political strategist. She was born into a Quaker family in 1885 and made it her lifetime goal to make sure that women were given equal rights. This site is sponsored by the Alice Paul Institute. There is biographical information about Paul, as well as information about the institute itself. There are also links to the history of the institute, events, membership, information packets and more.
Western New York Suffragists: Winning the Vote allows you to examine a time in New York's history when people were fighting for women to gain the right to vote. This suffrage movement database allows you to learn all about the suffrage movement, read biographies and view images of significant suffragists, and examine a timeline of historic events. The opening page allows you to access a list of biographies and a list of available images. It also directs you to a collection of timelines and an article on the suffrage movement that includes links to primary sources.
In the 19th century, American reformers believed that religious, moral, social, and political reality could match the high ideals of democracy. In the midst of social reforms, Americans debated constitutional rights, including women's suffrage. Amelia Bloomer was among the leaders of the reformers and suffragists. She is perhaps best known for bloomers, trouser-like pants worn under a skirt, which became a symbol of freedom from the cumbersome outfits worn in her day. Her efforts in social reform went far beyond clothing, as she spoke out for temperance, suffrage, and property rights.
Women were second-class citizens before the 20th century. They couldn't own property or vote. Their husbands could beat them and the law would not intervene. People were shocked when female suffragists gave speeches in public in the mid-19th century. Discover the grievances these women had about American society. Married women didn't have the right to their own wages and divorced women didn't have the right to their children. They wanted to be able to vote and go to college. Men thought women were too emotional, nurturing, and inferior to be involved in politics. Investigate the history of the 19th amendment.
The right to vote was not quickly or easily granted to women. The women's suffrage movement intensified after the 15th Amendment passed, allowing African American males to vote. The documents at this web site illustrate the length of the women's suffrage movement, the movement's techniques and the variety of arguments for and against giving women the right to vote. Look at the 11 different documents created both by suffragists and anti-suffragists and see how they tried to convince others of their opinions.
Follow the story and the struggle as women in the American West fought for the right to vote. In this exhibit from the Women of the West Museum you will find information about the suffrage movement and how it began in Wyoming Territory in 1869 and spread. Discover the different reasons why women's suffrage succeeded in the West as you look at the suffrage stories from ten different states. The site includes biographies of people who helped secure the vote for women as well as a timeline and activities.
Although it gave women of all races the right to vote, the 19th amendment didn't protect African-American women from discriminatory state laws and vigilantes. African-Americans sometimes experienced discrimination within the suffrage movement, such as being asked to march in a separate unit during demonstrations. Some white suffragists gained support for their cause by saying that their votes would outnumber the African-American votes in elections. Learn about some of the African-Americans suffragists in the late 19th century.
Who won the vote? Who were the women who made up the suffrage movement? Read about seventy five different suffrage leaders and supporters. Find out about Jade Addams, Susan B. Anthony, Alva Belmont, Alice Blackwell, Lilie Blake, and many more. Discover the remarkable depth and variety that marked the nationwide movement. This web site contains short biographies adapted from Notable American Women. Links to further research on each suffragist are available from the National Women's History Project.
Learn about the many decades of struggle as American women fought for the right to vote. Analyze the differences in approach between the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association and read about some of the alliances suffragists formed. For forty years, women's suffrage amendments were introduced in Congress, beginning in 1878.
A popular and controversial public speaker in the 19th century, Lucy Stone lectured on suffrage and abolitionism. In spite of her father's disapproval, she went to college after earning her own tuition. She was the first woman in Massachusetts to earn a bachelor's degree. When she married Henry Blackwell, she kept her last name and their marital vows talked about equality. Their daughter, Alice Stone Blackwell, was also a suffragist who helped unite the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association.
With a life spanning from 1859 until her death in 1947, Carrie Chapman Catt was well known as a peace advocate and an American suffragist, helping women in the United States to earn the right to vote. This site is an encyclopedia type overview of her life and accomplishments, including information about her creating and organizing the League of Women Voters, the International Woman Suffrage Alliance and helping to ratify the 19th amendment in 1920.
The 19th amendment gave women the same rights as men when it came to voting. Citizens had the right to vote, whether they were male or female. Women's rights and abolition became intertwined in the 19th century, but the 14th amendment hadn't been enough for most states to allow women to vote. For more than four decades, women campaigned and demonstrated for the right to vote. Once they got congressional passage for the amendment, they still needed to convince states to ratify it. Women's contributions to the war effort combined with political action to gain the right to vote.
The 19th amendment came 1920 after a long struggle and many protests. Generations of women marched, lobbied, and spoke out about the right to vote for women. They even used civil disobedience and hunger strikes to try to get the U.S. Constitution changed. Many of those who worked tirelessly for suffrage never got to vote in their lifetimes. They women in some states gained the right to vote sooner, but many suffragettes were heckled or even arrested. The balance began to shift as New York allowed suffrage for women and President Wilson decided to support the suffragettes.
Women packed into the visitors' gallery for the final vote, waiting for the roll-call to see if they had gained enough votes for the 19th amendment to pass in the Senate. The Senate had always been the biggest obstacle for a suffrage amendment. The House of Representatives had passed the amendment in several previous attempts. Suffragists intensified their efforts with a letter-writing campaign to flood the offices of elected officials. They made sure lobbyists were outside the senators' offices each morning. They even tried to get the support of senators' mothers in convincing their sons.
Women gained the right to vote in New York in 1917, the same year America joined the First World War. Both conservative and radical suffragists agreed that it didn't make sense to fight for democracy in Europe when half of the population in the U.S. was denied basic democratic rights. The National Women's Party chained suffragists to the gates of the White House, while the National American Women's Suffrage Association knit socks for soldiers to show their patriotism. The House of Representatives and President Wilson were willing to support suffrage in 1918, but the Senate took more convincing.
Congress approved the 19th amendment by joint resolution in 1919 and the states ratified it the following year. Discover the final vote in the Senate and House of Representatives. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucy Stone took different approaches to gaining enfranchisement in the 19th century. Along with Susan B. Anthony, Stanton established the National Woman Suffrage Association to pursue an amendment to the Constitution. Stone and the American Woman Suffrage Association used a state-by-state strategy. In 1890, the two groups and their strategies merged. Find out what congressmen and professors said in the years before the final vote.
Some representatives opposed the 19th amendment, but it still passed in the House of Representatives by a large margin. More than three hundred representatives voted in favor of the amendment, while just eighty-nine were opposed. Suffragists had convinced most Americans that this amendment was necessary to spread democracy at home after women played a significant role in World War I in supporting the defense of democracy abroad. The mobilization of women to help to war effort changed American attitudes about a woman's ability to perform the duties of citizenship. A few months after ratification, women voted for the next Congress.
The 19th amendment was proposed in 1878, but didn't pass Congress until 1919. An additional 15 months were needed for the amendment to be ratified by 36 states so that it could become law. Wyoming was the first state to allow women to vote in 1890. Montana was the first state to elect a woman to Congress in 1916. In 1917, women were arrested for picketing at the White House. In 1918, a suffrage amendment passed in the House of Representatives but not in the Senate.
Women's rights organizations of the 19th and early 20th century lobbied for the right to vote and employment opportunities. The members of these organizations were mostly from the upper and middle classes. From hunger strikes to picket lines, they tried many different approaches. Even when several western states granted women's suffrage, women still couldn't vote in presidential elections. Ohio allowed women to vote in school board elections in the 1890s, but a state amendment to allow women to vote in political elections failed at the polls in 1912. Investigate the impact of Prohibition and World War I in women's suffrage.
Here is a well-documented look into woman suffrage provided by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. After a long hard struggle in which many women participated, finally in the year 1920 an amendment to the constitution extended voting rights to women. This site contains a brief introduction, primary sources, activities, and related links. Related documents begin with a resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution in 1868. A suffrage timeline is also available.
This site is linked to the official Disney site and offers basic information about the man who started it all. It also has fun pictures of Walt as a child. There are links to many book references that are available to learn about Walt Disney and the Disney Corporation. If you are interested in the life of Walt Disney, click on the link for the Walt Disney Family Museum.
Probably one of the most recognized cartoon figures is Mickey Mouse. This Disney character is known around the world! Find out about the cartoonist who created this mouse, whose name was first Mortimer. Walt Disney's empire began with drawing cartoons. Learn about the life of Disney who was drawing at a young age and who taught himself animation. His early cartoon movies and his innovations with animation are discussed. Find out how Walt Disney used his cartooning and business skills to build an entertainment empire.
Movie producer and animation pioneer Walt Disney began his career in advertising. The direction of his career changed with the creation of Mickey Mouse, a character who soon appeared with his friends in numerous shorts with Disney supplying Mickey's voice. Explore Disney's pioneering work in music, speed, color, three-dimensional effects, and full-length feature cartoons. Find out how Disney supported the war effort during World War II. Learn about some of his earliest live-action films, television specials, and theme parks.
Disney is a popular American culture that all began in the mind of animator and cartoonist, Walt Disney. This encyclopedia article traces Disney's roots back to his birthplace and the towns that molded the man and influenced his work. It tells you about his early career in Kansas City before leaving for Los Angeles to begin changing the world. It also discusses how Disney never left his life in the Midwest behind by describing his childhood and offering examples that can be found in his work.
A PBS special featuring Mary Pickford redirects visitors to a variety of related sections. One of the sections on people and events discusses the early history of motion pictures. As the section title suggest, information on the people related to the development of motion pictures is an equal part of the discussion of the actual historical events. The section tells about Eadweard Muybridge, his creation, discoveries in France, Thomas Edison and the kinetograph, and new art forms. Other sections related to the special feature are accessible as well.
The very first full length film to feature the voices of the actors was released on October 6, 1927. You can learn all about the release of The Jazz Singer in this article that also examines the history of film. The article offers information related to the first film to use music and sound effects, the development of The Jazz Singer, and particular details about the film itself. A discussion on the plot of The Jazz Singer is also included in the article along with information on Al Jolson.
Italian immigrant Rudolph Valentino was one of Hollywood's earliest movie stars. He studied to be a dancer in Paris but became a screen idol after starring in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Valentino died young and thousands of people sobbed hysterically at the loss of this star. The early silent films began to be replaced by talkies at a time when most theaters weren't yet wired for sound. Lavish movie palaces were constructed with glittering electric marquis. Some had chandeliers, free babysitting, or live orchestral performances
The life of Henry Ford can be examined in this online exhibit from the Henry Ford Museum. A biography of Henry Ford can be found on the opening page and includes a description of his childhood, his career in engineering, and the years following the incorporation of the Ford Motor Company. From this page you can also enlarge photographs of Henry Ford and the Rouge Plant and gain access to a chronology of Ford's life. The chronology provides you with additional photographs and so does the list of quick facts that is also accessible from the opening page.
Henry Ford is remembered as both an innovative entrepreneur and an industrialist who successfully modernized the auto industry. From a series of History.com video presentations describing major accomplishments toward his lifelong goal of making cars an affordable purchase for American households, this segment focuses on Ford’s contributions as a leader in the business world. Scenes from the film include workers on automobile assembly lines at manufacturing plants in Detroit, Michigan, and Ford’s popular vehicle, the Model T. Examples of practices from the meat packing industry that inspired his workplace innovations are also shown.
Learn about the career achievements of business leader and automobile industry pioneer Henry Ford in this chapter from “America’s Story,” presented by the Library of Congress. Pictures of Ford and his automobile are featured along with the background information showing how the young inventor from Dearborn, Michigan turned an early interest in working with machinery into a major contribution to the economy of twentieth century America. There is also a short film of cars traveling through the streets of New York.
People sometimes think that Henry Ford invented the automobile. Maybe this is because his name is so closely identified with early automobiles. Although he did not invent the automobile, he did refine the assembly line system of manufacturing automobiles so that cars became affordable for more people and could be manufactured more quickly. Earlier in his career, Ford worked with another legend, Thomas Edison, and was Edison's chief engineer. You can learn more about Ford, a man who had a profound effect on American life, when you visit the United States Department of Energy web site for kids.
The wages of Ford Motor Company employees were doubled the day that Henry Ford introduced a minimum wage scale of $5 a day. This historic event took place on January 5, 1914 along with Ford's offer of profit sharing to selected employees. This article provides you with the details of Ford's wage increase and the stipulations related to profit sharing. The impact of this event is discussed along with the criticism Ford received for his choices.
In the late 1800s, automobiles were still built one at a time and were quite expensive. Henry Ford wanted to produce cars that the average worker could afford. While others scoffed at his idea, he persisted and in 1913, his plant incorporated the first moving assembly line to mass-produce the Model T. Read more about how this famous inventor got started in the automobile industry and the controversial politics he endorsed.
The Showroom of Automobile History allows you to learn about a select group of automobiles just by browsing the Henry Ford Museum's online showroom. The nine Ford automobiles date back as far as 1896 and are as recent as 1986. When you select a car to examine you will find a complete history and description of each car, a photo gallery, related advertising, and sales literature and documents. There is even a detailed list of specifications for each car as well.
From the PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) series “Who Made America,” this site contains the story of automotive industry pioneer Henry Ford. Divided into brief sections describing notable achievements in the lifetime of the Detroit industrialist, the information explains the development of technical processes that saved time and money in the production of automobiles. Ford’s controversial ideas to improve social conditions for workers in his plants are also discussed. The page features a photograph of a mature Henry Ford and one of the affordable cars produced at this high-efficiency automotive assembly plants.
This profile contains an overview of the life and contributions of automotive pioneer Henry Ford. The article begins by describing how Ford’s childhood experiences on a farm in Michigan led to the desire to work and experiment with machinery. A discussion of the influence of these skills on the development of his professional career and business partnerships follows. Historical background on The Ford Motor Company includes an analysis of the successes and failures involved in running a major industrial enterprise, as well as the social and political issues that would have a lasting impact on the Ford family legacy.
The Model T Ford has been referred to as a twentieth century icon and this video explains why. As you listen to the video you will discover that Henry Ford created a vehicle that made ordinary people want to drive. You will find out how appearance and price made the Model T desirable, what made the Model T technologically advanced, and how it had the ability to handle the rough roads of the time. The years the Model T were manufactured are presented along with the numbers sold and the success of the production line that Ford pioneered.
From 1928 to 1945 the Ford Motor Company made two attempts to establish rubber plantations in Brazil. Over 3 million rubber trees were planted. Trace the history of rubber production in Brazil and follow Henry Ford's role in developing rubber plantations there. Read about the establishment of the settlement of Fordlandia. Find out about the many troubles at Fordlandia and learn about a second plantation that was started in 1933. This article explains why the Brazilian rubber plantations were eventually closed. Historic photographs are included.
The life of Henry Ford can be examined in this online exhibit from the Henry Ford Museum. A biography of Henry Ford can be found on the opening page and includes a description of his childhood, his career in engineering, and the years following the incorporation of the Ford Motor Company. From this page you can also enlarge photographs of Henry Ford and the Rouge Plant and gain access to a chronology of Ford's life. The chronology provides you with additional photographs and so does the list of quick facts that is also accessible from the opening page.
Henry Ford is remembered as both an innovative entrepreneur and an industrialist who successfully modernized the auto industry. From a series of History.com video presentations describing major accomplishments toward his lifelong goal of making cars an affordable purchase for American households, this segment focuses on Ford’s contributions as a leader in the business world. Scenes from the film include workers on automobile assembly lines at manufacturing plants in Detroit, Michigan, and Ford’s popular vehicle, the Model T. Examples of practices from the meat packing industry that inspired his workplace innovations are also shown.
Learn about the career achievements of business leader and automobile industry pioneer Henry Ford in this chapter from “America’s Story,” presented by the Library of Congress. Pictures of Ford and his automobile are featured along with the background information showing how the young inventor from Dearborn, Michigan turned an early interest in working with machinery into a major contribution to the economy of twentieth century America. There is also a short film of cars traveling through the streets of New York.
People sometimes think that Henry Ford invented the automobile. Maybe this is because his name is so closely identified with early automobiles. Although he did not invent the automobile, he did refine the assembly line system of manufacturing automobiles so that cars became affordable for more people and could be manufactured more quickly. Earlier in his career, Ford worked with another legend, Thomas Edison, and was Edison's chief engineer. You can learn more about Ford, a man who had a profound effect on American life, when you visit the United States Department of Energy web site for kids.
The wages of Ford Motor Company employees were doubled the day that Henry Ford introduced a minimum wage scale of $5 a day. This historic event took place on January 5, 1914 along with Ford's offer of profit sharing to selected employees. This article provides you with the details of Ford's wage increase and the stipulations related to profit sharing. The impact of this event is discussed along with the criticism Ford received for his choices.
In the late 1800s, automobiles were still built one at a time and were quite expensive. Henry Ford wanted to produce cars that the average worker could afford. While others scoffed at his idea, he persisted and in 1913, his plant incorporated the first moving assembly line to mass-produce the Model T. Read more about how this famous inventor got started in the automobile industry and the controversial politics he endorsed.
The Showroom of Automobile History allows you to learn about a select group of automobiles just by browsing the Henry Ford Museum's online showroom. The nine Ford automobiles date back as far as 1896 and are as recent as 1986. When you select a car to examine you will find a complete history and description of each car, a photo gallery, related advertising, and sales literature and documents. There is even a detailed list of specifications for each car as well.
From the PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) series “Who Made America,” this site contains the story of automotive industry pioneer Henry Ford. Divided into brief sections describing notable achievements in the lifetime of the Detroit industrialist, the information explains the development of technical processes that saved time and money in the production of automobiles. Ford’s controversial ideas to improve social conditions for workers in his plants are also discussed. The page features a photograph of a mature Henry Ford and one of the affordable cars produced at this high-efficiency automotive assembly plants.
This profile contains an overview of the life and contributions of automotive pioneer Henry Ford. The article begins by describing how Ford’s childhood experiences on a farm in Michigan led to the desire to work and experiment with machinery. A discussion of the influence of these skills on the development of his professional career and business partnerships follows. Historical background on The Ford Motor Company includes an analysis of the successes and failures involved in running a major industrial enterprise, as well as the social and political issues that would have a lasting impact on the Ford family legacy.
The Model T Ford has been referred to as a twentieth century icon and this video explains why. As you listen to the video you will discover that Henry Ford created a vehicle that made ordinary people want to drive. You will find out how appearance and price made the Model T desirable, what made the Model T technologically advanced, and how it had the ability to handle the rough roads of the time. The years the Model T were manufactured are presented along with the numbers sold and the success of the production line that Ford pioneered.
From 1928 to 1945 the Ford Motor Company made two attempts to establish rubber plantations in Brazil. Over 3 million rubber trees were planted. Trace the history of rubber production in Brazil and follow Henry Ford's role in developing rubber plantations there. Read about the establishment of the settlement of Fordlandia. Find out about the many troubles at Fordlandia and learn about a second plantation that was started in 1933. This article explains why the Brazilian rubber plantations were eventually closed. Historic photographs are included.
Watch some examples of silent film clips from the early 1900s before synchronized sound was matched with moving pictures. If you notice, the only sound is music accompanying the film. Can you tell what’s going on by watching the people’s actions and expressions? Did they tell a story without words? Watch Charlie Chaplin entertain four ladies with a couple of forks and dinner rolls. In the Little Darling, everyone anticipates the arrival of a little girl, possibly a baby, but they’re surprised when a young lady steps off the train. Other clips include “Piz Palu,” “Checkmate,” “Haunted,” and more.
Silent films were the earliest technology of the movies we see today. Producers hadn’t learned to attach a synchronized recorded sound with the visual recording, so people had to figure out what was going on by the actors’ actions. Some silent films added written slides for viewers to read. This website’s purpose is to find and preserve films from the silent era, and provide them for the public to view. The majority of silent films are lost or destroyed, and some have survived, but are locked up by companies.
The invention of photography in 1830 played a big role in the beginnings of celluloid film and motion pictures later almost fifty years later by different inventors in England, France, and the United States. In 1889 Thomas Edison and W.K. Dickson created the Kinetoscope, a peep-show device where film is moved past a light. Four years later Edison constructed the first motion picture studio in New Jersey. After the turn of the century Henry Miles provided the first film exchange, which meant exhibitors were allowed to rent the silent movies instead of buy them. And that’s just the beginning.
In 1907 Chicago, Illinois, claimed to lead the world when it came to renting moving picture films and the number of people watching those films. In the early days of film, Chicago had more film theaters per capita than any other city in the U.S., including five-cent theaters, also called nickelodeons. The city was home to 15 film rental houses, and they controlled 80% of the film distribution market across the U.S. Movies were created in Chicago, too, including several “race film” companies run by African-Americans who made films for black audiences. By the late teens most production firms fled to sunny California.
Jazz was a controversial form of music and entertainment that separated literary theatre from musical comedy in the 1920s. In the early 20th century, the spread of electricity and mass production made consumer goods more available. Production and wages rose, and the additional disposable income was spent on more consumer goods. Learn about the rise of the automobile, the emergence of Hollywood and radio, the popularity of records, and the Harlem Renaissance. Investigate changing views of women. Analyze Prohibition, the Immigration Act, and the Scopes Trial.
Entertainment and popular culture were affected by new technologies that were developed at the turn of the twentieth century. A collection of images shows you how people spent their free time during this period in history and you will get to see how some of the new technologies allowed people to enjoy new forms of entertainment. Additional information related to these developments and specific forms of entertainment can be found in an overview that accompanies the collection.
The 1920s was a decade of change. This article examines the causes of the changes that were experienced and the culture of the decade. It reveals many of the advancements in transportation, communication, and manufacturing and also the trend in consumer spending. You will discover how automobiles became available to even middle-class buyers, the impact of commercial radio station broadcasts, and the popularity of movies as entertainment. Advances in household machinery are discussed as well.
The very first full length film to feature the voices of the actors was released on October 6, 1927. You can learn all about the release of The Jazz Singer in this article that also examines the history of film. The article offers information related to the first film to use music and sound effects, the development of The Jazz Singer, and particular details about the film itself. A discussion on the plot of The Jazz Singer is also included in the article along with information on Al Jolson.
Lillian Gish was the heroine of silent films. Considered one of the American Masters by the PBS show of the same name, Gish is considered the first lady of silent films. Find out how this actress got her start in show business. Her film work with D.W. Griffith and her acting style are discussed. See why Gish left Griffith for MGM. The site has two photographs of Gish and links to other sites about silent films and silent film stars.
Known for his Little Tramp character, Charlie Chaplin was a movie star in the days of silent films. A film icon in the early 20th century, Chaplin started entertaining at a young age. In 1914, he went to Hollywood. The character Chaplin played was shabby but had great dreams for a better life. As part of United Artists Studios, he was one of the first filmmakers to be able to control his own films. His sympathy toward communism forced him to leave the United States and settle in Switzerland. Born in London, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
This PBS American Masters web site discusses the interesting life and career of silent film star Charlie Chaplin. Read this article and learn about the beginnings of his career in London, his acting methods, and his lasting contributions to the art of filmmaking. There are also photographs, a list of his major works, and links to artists that he was connected with at this web site.
When you click on Radio News you will find a large collection of radio broadcasters and articles on important radio events. You will find articles that examine radio mystery shows, detective or private eye shows, comedy programs, and science fiction programs. There is also an exhibit on the Captain Midnight radio program and you can listen to episodes of Terry and the Pirates that were broadcast in 1942. Clips of radio hosts, Dan Dodge, Peter Salem, and Ted Drake are available along with an interactive timeline of radio history.
The first radio broadcasts revolutionized entertainment in 1920. Early radios costs about $150 and needed a 100-foot aerial antenna outside as well as batteries that needed to be frequently charged and replaced. Radio sales soared in the 1920s as Americans listened to music, live theater, sermons, news, and sporting events. Find out how radio united Americans access the country. Variety shows joined musical programs and sports broadcasts as radio personalities were heard by millions of Americans.
History of American Radio: Melodrama, Adaptation and Comedy focuses on the history of radio programming. Melodrama was a form of story portrayed over the radio and was one of four types of radio programming. Come learn more about the types of programs broadcast over early radio. Learn about the beginning of radio and how this form of communication began. See the uses of radio evolving throughout time. What discoveries helped the evolution of radio? Learn more here.
President Calvin Coolidge's State of the Union address was the first presidential address to be broadcasted on the radio. This article tells you about this historic speech that took place on December 6, 1923 and its significance. It explains the circumstances surrounding the presidency of Coolidge and the anticipation of the nation after hearing about the broadcast. Details related to the address are included in the article along with the following day's opinions. A discussion on presidents and the radio follows the article.
The history of radio broadcasting involves many different aspects and spans across decades. You can access the history of radio broadcasting through this one, convenient, interactive chart. The chart allows you to learn about broadcasting, radio homes, stations, networks, commercial operations, and programs from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s and the 1950s. Once you select a topic and a decade you will be led to an article that discusses that particular aspect of radio during that time period.
This collection of articles examines the history of radio broadcasting. The articles discuss the development of technology and the growth of the radio broadcasting industry from 1896 to 1929. There is also a section that explains the government regulations that were in existence at any time between 1903 and 1946. You will also find a section on word origins and links to the original articles. Each article is filled with links to additional information, documents, and primary sources.
In September, 1926, this advertisement for the Radio Corporation of America was placed in magazines. This advertisement is different than ads you normally see today. RCA was going to become the National Broadcasting Company and they needed to reach an audience who could potentially listen to the new programs on their new radio station, and they did it through this ad. This ad also talks about the new advisory council set up by NBC to make sure their broadcasting was fair and the best it could be for their audience.
Explore a timeline of radio and television broadcasting. From the invention of the cathode-ray tube to the popularity of reality TV, this timeline will tell you all about inventions and broadcasting firsts. Discover where the first commercial radio station was located. Investigate the introduction of soap operas. Find out when the first television set was sold. By 1931, there were 40,000 television sets in America. By 1992, there were 900 million television sets around the world. Learn about radio classics, cable and color television, and famous television shows.
Warner Brothers
Warner Brothers History This page gives the history of the Warner Brothers studios. Warner Brothers Encyclopedia Britanica's online article for Waner Brothers.
Jazz
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Zora Neale Houston
Claude McKay
Eugene O'Neil
Langston Hughes
Countee Cullen
Sinclair Lewis
Ernest Hemingway
Flappers
http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/topics/flapper.html
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-history-of-the-flapper-part-1-a-call-for-freedom-11957978/?no-ist
Prohibittion
Suffragists
Walt Disney
Henry Ford
Automobile
Silent Movies
Movie Stars of the time
Radio
Warner Brothers
Warner Brothers History
This page gives the history of the Warner Brothers studios.
Warner Brothers
Encyclopedia Britanica's online article for Waner Brothers.